Appliance - equipment, usually built in standardized sizes or types, installed or connected as a unit to a unit to perform one or more functions.

Approved - acceptable to the authority having jurisdiction. Appliances or installations are not approved unless accepted by the authority having jurisdiction, whether or not they are "tested or listed."

Ash - The solid residue left when combustible material is thoroughly burned or is oxidized by chemical means.

Ash Door - A door, with a frame, providing access to the ash dump, through which collected ashes can be removed.

Ash Dump or Ash Pit - an opening, usually with a hinge door and located at the bottom of the fireplace, through which ashes can be dumped. Also the cavity or receptacle below the opening in which ashes collect before removal.

Authority Having Jurisdiction - The organization, office or individual responsible for approving equipment, installations or procedures. Includes building or fire inspectors, insurance underwriting departments, or other entities having legal authority to regulate or set standards for acceptability and to enforce them.

B

BTU - British Thermal Unit - The quantity of heat required to raise the temperature of one pound of water one degree Fahrenheit at or near 39.2 F.

Baffle - object placed in an appliance to change the direction, extend the path, or slow the flow of air, air-fuel mixtures, or flue gases.

Breast - the area located above the damper on the front smoke chamber wall of a masonry fireplace.

C

CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep Program - a comprehensive, written, proctored examination developed, administered, and graded by the Chimney Safety Institute of America.

Chase - an enclosure for a chimney that is used to separate the chimney from the living area or to hide an exterior chimney from view.

Chimney - one or more passageways, vertical or nearly so, for conveying flue gases from the appliance to the outside atmosphere.

Chimney Cap - a protective covering or housing for the top of a chimney intended for preventing the entry of rain, snow, animals, birds, etc., and for preventing downdrafts. Chimney caps are also called flue caps or rain caps.

Chimney Crown - mortar or concrete at the top of a chimney that seals off the air space between the outer walls of a masonry chimney and the flue liner and slopes away from the liner to shed water.

Chimney Fire - burning of creosote, soot, or other combustible deposits within a chimney or chimney connector.

Chimney Safety Institute of America - a nonprofit, tax-exempt educational foundation dedicated to chimney safety through public education and the development of technical knowledge and educational programs for America’s chimney service professionals.

Cleanout Opening - an opening or hole in a chimney designed to allow access to the flue or ash dump for purposes of removing ash, creosote, soot and other extraneous matter.

Clearance - distance between a heat-producing appliance, chimney, chimney connector, vent, vent connector, or plenum and other surfaces.

Combustion - rapid oxidation of fuel accompanied by the production of heat and light.

Creosote - chimney and stovepipe deposits originating as condensed wood smoke.

Cricket - a device designed for use with chimneys that penetrate the roof at a location other than the roof peak. Crickets shed water away from the chimney; they are often referred to as saddles.

D

Damper - a valve, usually a movable or retractable plate, for controlling the flow of air or smoke.

Density - mass per unit volume of material. For wood, density is expressed as pounds per cubic feet.

Direct Connect - a connector from an insert or hearth stove to the first flue tile in a fireplace.

Downdraft - draft which forces air to flow down a chimney, rather than up.

Draft - force or pressure difference between the inside and the outside of the venting system which causes gases to flow up and out of the chimney and air to flow into the appliance.

E

Exterior Chimney - a chimney whose entire structure is located outside of the exterior wall of a building.

F

Factory-Built Chimney - chimney composed of listed factory-built components, assembled in accordance with the terms of the listing to form the completed chimney.

Factory-Built Fireplace - fireplace composed of listed factory-built components, including a chimney, that are assembled in accordance with the terms of the listing to form the completed fireplace.  An example would be a prefab fireplace.

Firebox Assembly - the section of a masonry fireplace that includes the firebrick, lintel, and damper.  This is the combustion area of a fireplace where the fire is contained.

Firebrick - brick composed of clay and silica and designed to withstand high temperatures such as those found in a firebox.

Fireclay - clay that withstands high temperatures without deforming or cracking.

Fireplace - hearth, firebox (or similarly prepared place) and a chimney.

Fireplace Insert - factory-built, field-installed product consisting of a firebox assembly designed to be installed within or partially within the firebox of a fireplace. Such an assembly often uses the fireplace flue to vent the products of combustion.

Fireplace Stove - self-contained, chimney connected, solid fuel burning appliance having its fire chamber open to the room.

Flame Impingement - Ability of the flame to come in contact with another surface.

Flashing - sheet metal or other materials used in waterproofing roof valleys, hips, or the angle between a chimney and a roof.

Flow - amount (volume) of gases that actually pass through the venting system as a result of draft.

Flow Capacity - the amount of gases that are able to flow through a venting system in a given time and at a given draft and system resistance.

Flow Reversal - a chimney performance problem that occurs because gases are drawn down the flue by low pressure at the bottom of the chimney.

Flue - the passage in a chimney for conveying flue gases to the outside atmosphere.

Flue Collar - portion of an appliance that is designed for attachment of a chimney or vent connector or a draft hood.

Flue Gases - combustion products from fuel-burning appliances plus excess air.

Flue Gas Temperature - temperature of gases in the flue.

Flue Liner - special liner required by codes and standards to cover the inner surface of the flue. The liner serves as a buffer between flue gases and chimney walls and is designed to contain the products of combustion.

Fly Ash - very lightweight ash, easily picked up by air currents.

Freestanding Fireplace - a fireplace that is exposed on all sides and is typically connected to a chimney. These units are often found in the middle of the room.

G

Gas Logs - Noncombustible concrete or fibrous material designed to look like real wood in a fireplace display.  These generally use natural gas or propane as a fuel source.

Grate - raised grid-like structure where fuel is placed.

H

Heatilator Type Fireplace - brand name describing either a factory built fireplace or steel fireplace liner.

Heating System - heat-producing appliance with a combustion chamber and a heat exchanger.

Hearth - floor area within the firebox of a fireplace or a fireplace stove.

Hearth Extension - noncombustible surfacing applied to the floor area extending in front of and at the sides of the hearth opening of a fireplace or a fireplace stove; also as applied to the floor area beneath a fireplace stove or beneath an elevated overhanging fireplace hearth.

Hearth Stove - stoves which are either specifically designed or adapted for connection to a fireplace.

Heat Exchanger - chamber in a heating appliance where heat resulting from combustion of fuel is transferred through the walls of the chamber to air or water passing through the exchanger.

Heat Transfer Efficiency - the percentage of useful heat released in the fire which becomes useful heat in the home.

Heatform Type Fireplaces - a unit consisting of a steel firebox, and an air chamber adjacent to the sides and rear of the firebox, used to construct a masonry fireplace. The unit usually has ducts to circulate air to and heated air from the air chamber to the living space.

Heating System - heat-producing appliance with a combustion chamber and a heat exchanger.

I

Inadequate Flow - chimney performance problem occurring when the flow of gases through a venting system is insufficient to handle the amount of flue gas produced by the fire.

Incinerator - an appliance or combustion chamber which burns garbage, rubbish and other wastes.

Inner Hearth - floor area within the firebox or fire chamber where the fire is built;

Interior Chimney - a chimney that has any part of its structure inside the exterior wall of a building.

IRC - International Residential Code.

L

Labeled - materials or equipment to which has been attached a label, symbol or other identifying mark of an organization acceptable to the "authority having jurisdiction" and concerned with product evaluation, that maintains periodic inspection of production of labeled equipment or materials and by whose labeling the manufacturer indicates compliance with appropriate standards or performance in a specified manner.

Latent Heat - energy used to change a liquid (such as water) to a gas (such as steam) that is released as sensible heat when the gas condenses to its liquid state.

Lintel - when referring to masonry fireplaces, the horizontal noncombustible member, usually of masonry or steel, spanning the opening of a masonry fireplace to support the load above.

Listed - materials or equipment included in a list published by an organization acceptable to the "authority having jurisdiction" and concerned with product evaluation, that maintains periodic inspection of production of listed equipment or materials and whose listing states either that the equipment or material meets appropriate standards or has been tested and found suitable for use in a specified manner.

M

Manometer - an instrument for measuring the pressures of gases and vapors.

Mantel - a shelf or facing ornament above a fireplace opening.

Masonry Chimney - a field-constructed chimney of solid masonry units, bricks, stones, listed masonry chimney units, or reinforced Portland cement concrete, lined with suitable chimney flue liners built in accordance with applicable building code requirements.

Masonry Fireplace - a hearth and firebox of solid masonry units such as bricks, stones, listed masonry units, or reinforced concrete, provided with a suitable chimney.

Modular/Masonry Chimney - a factory-built, listed chimney system composed of engineered, pre-cast masonry units, assembled in the field to form a completed chimney.

Modular/Masonry Fireplace - fireplace or fireplace liner constructed of engineered pre-cast masonry units.

Multi-Flue Chimney - a single chimney containing more than one flue.

N

NCSG - National Chimney Sweep Guild, a non-profit trade association of chimney service companies dedicated to the education of consumers in chimney and venting safety and to professionalism in the chimney service trade.

NFI - the National Fireplace Institute was formed by the non-profit Hearth, Patio and Barbecue Education Foundation (HPBEF) and provides comprehensive training, testing and certification in woodburning, gas and pellet for professionals in the hearth industry.

NFPA - National Fire Protection Association, a non-profit, technical, and educational organization to promote the science and improve the methods of fire protection and prevention, to obtain and circulate information on these subjects, and to secure the cooperation of its members and the public in establishing proper safety against loss of life and property by fire.

Noncombustible Material - material that, in the form in which it is used and under the conditions anticipated, will not ignite, burn, support combustion, or release flammable vapors when subjected to fire or heat.

O

ODS Monitor - Oxygen Depletion Sensor.

Offset Flue - a flue that is not completely vertical.

Outside Air Combustion Kits - a duct with a valve for directing outside air to the firebox for use during combustion.

P

Parging - a thin coat of mortar applied in the inside of a masonry chimney or to the walls of a smoke chamber.

Particulate - tiny pieces of solid or liquid matter which form the visible components of smoke.

Pellets - compressed biomass (wood fibers, sawdust or other organic material) used as fuel in pellet stoves.

Pellet Stoves - solid fuel appliance fueled with pellets.

Plenum - an enclosure that serves as a gathering point for the distribution of air in the ducting system.

Positive Connect or Positive Connection - a liner from a hearth stove or insert to the top of the chimney.

Pyrolysis - chemical alteration of wood, coal, or other combustible materials as a result of the application of heat.

R

Radiant Heat - a form of light, beyond the visible part of the spectrum, which is given off by warm or hot objects and is converted to sensible heat when absorbed by another object.

Radiant Stove - a stove that has its outer firebox walls exposed to the area to be heated; radiant stoves transfer most of their heat in the form of infrared radiation.

Rain Cap - a cap placed above the flue to prevent rain from entering the flue. See chimney cap.

Residence Time - the length of time smoke remains in the venting system.

Residential Type Chimney - a chimney that vents residential-type gas, liquid, and solid fuel burning appliances. This class of service is based on a maximum continuous appliance outlet flue gas temperature of not greater than 1000 degrees Fahrenheit.

Residential Type Heating Appliance - a heating appliance that vents into a residential type chimney.

Room Heater - a self-contained appliance designed to heat the area in which it is located.

S

St. Florian - the patron saint of chimney sweeps and fire fighters.

Screening - wire mesh installed at the top of the chimney to prevent animals and birds from entering the flue.

Sensible Heat - heat which can be sensed, as by the skin; heat which causes a sensible temperature rise in a material.

Smoke - solid, liquid and gaseous products of combustion that leave the combustion zone unburned and are carried through the venting system by draft. Often the term is used to refer only to the visible portion of the appliance exhaust. See particulate and smoke density.

Smoke Chamber - chamber in a fireplace directly above the smoke shelf and extending to the base of the flue.

Smoke Chamber Assembly - the section of a masonry fireplace containing the smoke chamber walls and the smoke shelf, located above the throat and below the flue.

Smoke Density - the amount of unburned hydrocarbons in the flue gas.

Smoke Shelf - the area at the bottom of the smoke chamber created as the back wall of the firebox arches forward. The shelf is located at the intersection of the smoke chamber and the firebox. A damper is normally located on the forward side of the smoke shelf.

Smoke Test - a procedure for ascertaining the tightness of a chimney and for detecting any cracks in a masonry chimney flue or deterioration or breaks in the integrity of a factory-built or metal chimney flue. The procedure involves igniting a smoke bomb or building a smoky fire in a fireplace or a solid-fuel burning appliance, covering the chimney termination, and checking for smoke escaping through the chimney walls.

Solid Fuel - coal, wood, and other similar organic materials and any combination of them.

Soot - soft, black or brown, velvety carbon particle deposits inside appliances, chimneys or connectors, originating in oxygen-poor flames.

Space Heater - See Room Heater.

Spall - to chip or flake, usually associated with masonry construction.

Spark Arrestor - screening material or screening device attached to a chimney termination to prevent the passage of sparks to the outside atmosphere.

Stack Effect - the tendency for warmer air to rise within a structure, creating lower pressure in the lower areas of the building. Stack effect often works against chimney draft, causing poor performance or smoking in appliances situated in the lower levels of the building.

Steel Fireplace Unit - a unit consisting of a steel firebox, and an air chamber adjacent to the sides and rear of the firebox, used to construct a masonry fireplace. The unit usually has ducts to circulate air to and heated air from the air chamber to the living space.

Stovepipe - single wall metal pipe used as a general purpose chimney connector.

T

Thimble - fixed or removable ring, tube, or lining usually located in the hole where the chimney connector or vent connector passes through a wall and enters a chimney or vent.

Throat - opening above a fireplace firebox through which flue gases pass from the firebox to the flue. The fireplace damper frame assembly is usually located at the throat of a fireplace.

Turbulence - areas of erratic pressure or flow.

U

UL - Underwriters Laboratory, an independent, nonprofit, product safety certification organization. Manufacturers voluntarily submit products, devices, materials, and systems for evaluation of electrical fire, burn, and casualty hazards. Products that meet UL’s safety requirements are eligible to bear the UL Mark and are subsequently covered by UL’s Follow-up Services program, which continuously monitors all UL Labeled products.

Updraft - normal direction of chimney draft caused by buoyant gases rising within a chimney.

V

Vent - a vertical or nearly vertical passageway composed of listed vent parts for conveying flue gases of certain gas or oil burning appliances to the outside atmosphere.

Vent Connector - The pipe that connects a fuel-burning appliance to a gas vent or a Type L vent.

Venting System - a system that exhausts products of combustion to the atmosphere.

Video Scanner - system, incorporating a closed-circuit video camera and television or monitor, for inspecting the interior of flues and other inaccessible areas.

W

Wind-Induced Downdrafts - downdrafts related to wind which force smoke down the chimney because of unusually high pressure at the top of the flue.

Wythe - a solid masonry partition used to separate individual flues located in a single chimney.

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